Col-o-nize: Verb (used with object) To establish a colony in; settle: England colonized Australia. To form a colony of: to colonize laborers in a mining region. (dictionary.com) The Beginning Colonialism began in the late fifteenth century as European countries battled to gain power by being the first to settle the rest of the world. The race for Africa and true African colonization did not begin until 1800 and continued until 1914. Precious metals were discovered on African land and European countries began to take control of the most productive land, mining for gems and tin, farming cotton and sugar among many other resources. These resources would provide raw materials that were shipped back to the country for production or resale. Colonialism in Africa offered an economic boom that made colonizing countries very wealthy and provided a door out of the long depression from 1873 to 1896. As technology rapidly advanced, European countries found it easier and cheaper to colonize. The true race for Africa did not begin until 1885. Colonizing provided countries with racial superiority, economic boom, a false sense of civilizing the world, and power over other nations
What Did They Do? European countries would take control of land and begin to grow cash crops that would be exported. The colonizing country took these resources and sold them to other countries or produced goods with them for resale. They then offered the African Nation a small amount of money for their work. The colonizing country also provides the African Nation with military protection and political power. The colonies would also be the market for the goods that were being produced and it was not uncommon for a farmer to be wearing a cotton shirt that was farmed in Africa and manufactured in Europe.
What’s the Issue? Colonialism, on the surface, appears to be a fool proof plan. Colonizing countries come in, mine some materials and give everybody jobs and money and offer political and military support. In return the colonizers take all the resources, sell them and get rich. At the time it may have seemed like a win win situation but in fact it lead to terrible economic disparity in the colonized nations. One of the biggest problems was the way in which the European countries viewed the colonized countries. There was a great deal of racism and no respect for the indigenous people, which allowed the Europeans to enter their countries with the soul purpose of earning as much money as possible. Communities and countries were often forced to produce one or two different crops. This forced food producing farmers off prime agricultural lands leading to countries’ reliance on food imports to provide nourishment to its people. Importing food costs more and the people had trouble affording it as a result of the minuscule salaries that they were making. Farmers and countries were no longer self sufficient. Farmers would work fields all day, and then pay the owner of the farm a majority of their crops in exchange for a bed to sleep in. The European countries ensured that they were making as much money as they could with no regard for the livelihood of the country. The race for Africa also left Africans with undeveloped infrastructures as well as a lack of educated people.
What Happens Next Eventually, Indigenous people began to fight back, after generations upon generations of living in poverty with an end nowhere in sight; they began to refuse to work for the colonizers any more. Countries began to fight back and built up militaries. The Americans were one of the first nations to request independence and it left them in a bloody war. Many other countries began to follow suit and the colonial era began to fall apart. Most African nations became independent between 1950 and 1960. Unfortunately many countries were left with massive economic difficulties as they relied on the exportation of one or two crops. The colonies were used as the source for the raw material and the markets for the finished foreign goods. The money which was generated by these colonial governments and also what their officers earned was invested in their own nations. As this money did not circulate in the colony it did not benefit the people of the colony. In addition, independence didn't level the playing field for the impoverished in the former colonies. The majority of the natural resources and productive land were owned by foreign companies, expatriates and the upper class. There were also a number of social and cultural effects on the colonized nations. The impact of Western education and culture, their dress and language was deeply felt. Because of this, there was an active loss of culture amongst many indigenous groups in Africa, a loss of culture which for some was never re-discovered. Once free from colonial rule, these countries and indigenous peoples were unable to improve on their economic state and transform into a functional country capable of standing on its own two feet. There are many countries that are still suffering the consequences of colonization and these countries are forced to tolerate sweat shops and are participating in the race to the bottom. Thus the cycle of poverty continues. The issue of colonialism has also created a lot of tension between countries. The fear that it will happen again is part of what makes foreign policy and international law very hard to regulate and enforce.
Solutions
In the 1960s and 1970s there were several international economists who proposed solutions to the economic crises in African countries. The first solution involved lessening the independence on imports through industrialization. The would provide substitutes for imports and allow the countries to become more self sufficient. The other solution focuses on increasing the variety of exports that could be cheaply made in Africa. This would boost the economy and increase funds for other projects. The problem with these two solutions was finding money to get them off their feet. The different ways of coming up with the money included private enterprise, state control and implementing a mixed economy. All of these solutions had theirs ups and downs and the majority of African countries used a mixed approach with varying degrees of success.
Key Players The main European countries that were involved in the
race for Africa were; (from most colonizing power to
least) Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal,
Spain and the United Kingdom.
Colonialism, The Scramble for Africa
Connor Deuchars
Col-o-nize: Verb (used with object)
To establish a colony in; settle: England colonized Australia.
To form a colony of: to colonize laborers in a mining region.
(dictionary.com)
The Beginning
Colonialism began in the late fifteenth century as European countries battled to gain power by being the first to settle the rest of the world. The race for Africa and true African colonization did not begin until 1800 and continued until 1914. Precious metals were discovered on African land and European countries began to take control of the most productive land, mining for gems and tin, farming cotton and sugar among many other resources. These resources would provide raw materials that were shipped back to the country for production or resale. Colonialism in Africa offered an economic boom that made colonizing countries very wealthy and provided a door out of the long depression from 1873 to 1896. As technology rapidly advanced, European countries found it easier and cheaper to colonize. The true race for Africa did not begin until 1885. Colonizing provided countries with racial superiority, economic boom, a false sense of civilizing the world, and power over other nations
What Did They Do?
European countries would take control of land and begin to grow cash crops that would be exported. The colonizing country took
http://www.bwanet.org/default.aspx?pid=530
What’s the Issue?
Colonialism, on the surface, appears to be a fool proof plan. Colonizing countries come in, mine some materials and give everybody jobs and money and offer political and military support. In return the colonizers take all the resources, sell them and get rich. At the time it may have seemed like a win win situation but in fact it lead to terrible economic disparity in the colonized nations. One of the biggest problems was the way in which the European countries viewed the colonized countries. There was a great deal of racism and no respect for the indigenous people, which allowed the Europeans to enter their countries with the soul purpose of earning as much money as possible. Communities and countries were often forced to produce one or two different crops. This forced food producing farmers off prime agricultural lands leading to countries’ reliance on food imports to provide nourishment to its people. Importing food costs more and the people had trouble affording it as a result of the minuscule salaries that they were making. Farmers and countries were no longer self sufficient. Farmers would work fields all day, and then pay the owner of the farm a majority of their crops in exchange for a bed to sleep in. The European countries ensured that they were making as much money as they could with no regard for the livelihood of the country. The race for Africa also left Africans with undeveloped infrastructures as well as a lack of educated people.
What Happens Next
Eventually, Indigenous people began to fight back, after generations upon generations of living in poverty with an end nowhere in sight; they began to refuse to work for the colonizers any more. Countries began to fight back and built up militaries. The Americans were one of the first nations to request independence and it left them in a bloody war. Many other countries began to follow suit and the colonial era began to fall apart. Most African nations became independent between 1950 and 1960. Unfortunately many countries were left with massive economic difficulties as they relied on the exportation of one or two crops. The colonies were used as the source for the raw material and the markets for the finished foreign goods. The money which was generated by these colonial governments and also what their officers earned was invested in their own nations. As this money did not circulate in the colony it did not benefit the people of the colony. In addition, independence didn't level the playing field for the impoverished in the former colonies. The majority of the natural resources and productive land were owned by foreign companies, expatriates and the upper class. There were also a number of social and cultural effects on the colonized nations. The impact of Western education and culture, their dress and language was deeply felt. Because of this, there was an active loss of culture amongst many indigenous groups in Africa, a loss of culture which for some was never re-discovered. Once free from colonial rule, these countries and indigenous peoples were unable to improve on their economic state and transform into a functional country capable of standing on its own two feet. There are many countries that are still suffering the consequences of colonization and these countries are forced to tolerate sweat shops and are participating in the race to the bottom. Thus the cycle of poverty continues. The issue of colonialism has also created a lot of tension between countries. The fear that it will happen again is part of what makes foreign policy and international law very hard to regulate and enforce.
Solutions
In the 1960s and 1970s there were several international economists who proposed solutions to the economic crises in African countries. The first solution involved lessening the independence on imports through industrialization. The would provide substitutes for imports and allow the countries to become more self sufficient. The other solution focuses on increasing the variety of exports that could be cheaply made in Africa. This would boost the economy and increase funds for other projects. The problem with these two solutions was finding money to get them off their feet. The different ways of coming up with the money included private enterprise, state control and implementing a mixed economy. All of these solutions had theirs ups and downs and the majority of African countries used a mixed approach with varying degrees of success.
Key Players
The main European countries that were involved in the
race for Africa were; (from most colonizing power to
least) Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal,
Spain and the United Kingdom.
Colonies in Africa 1914
http://history.howstuffworks.com/african-history/history-of-africa.htm/printable